Sump return directly in HOB refugium?

[Blenny]

Hello,

I started planning a sump to fit my skimmer and eventually my ATO. Despite being creative there is no space for a refugium down below my 50g tall.

So here it is:

As anybody plugged their sump return directly in an 5 gallon HOB refugium?

I don't plan on having a very big return flow.

Thanks!

 

[Mebbid]

I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work as long as the water can flow fast enough from the HOB refugium.

 

[Blenny]

I think I'll give it a try.

Do you know of a good DYI HOB refugium link?

Thanks!

 

[Ingy]

I would simply google a pic of a CPR Aquafuge. there is not much to them and any heavy duty plastic of glass container that fits there should do. Then 1 hole for a bulkhead fitting (around 1.5") to give the return plumbing. that would be a 90 elbow pointing down, a short extension, and finally a 90 pointing sideways. then rotate it all so the final elbow points toards the surface to reduce gurgling.

 

[Blenny]

Thanks !

I have found this link which seem pretty good.

http://www.captivereefs.com/forum/diy-projects-plans/diy-h-o-b-refugium-20349/

I'll modify the intake as an Hob overflow.

I'm not sure I entirely got how to positions the elbows to avoid gurgling from your post.

Thanks again

 

[Ingy]

Yeah, that's it. That is basically the CPR Aquafuge design. Now the understandably confusing part is the outflow. In the step 8 pic, the white return section has the final 90 elbow pointing slightly sideways. Maybe halfway from straight forward to right sideways. Once the whole thing is running, the outflow will be noisy, and you can quiet it by turning the whole white section clockwise, so the outflow end is pointing more UP. Eventually you'll get to a point that is the quietest it can get. It won't be perfect, but that's all there is to it.

 

[Blenny]

Ah! I got it. Thanks!